At age 96, Winnie Lou Rounds wins 'Books in Bloom' competition

Saturday

Congratulations to 96-year-old Winnie Lou Rounds of Scituate who won the Books in Bloom Competition today at The James Library in Norwell.

NORWELL -- Congratulations to 96-year-old Winnie Lou Rounds of Scituate who has won the Books in Bloom Competition today at The James Library in Norwell by popular vote.

The first prize award was presented to Winnie Lou shortly before 4 p.m. when the votes were counted. Rounds' entry this year was based on the works of Shakespeare. Her floral arrangement contained thyme, violet, eglantine, woodbine and daffodil on a bed of moss. She had written the name of each flower out in her careful script on a card with the floral piece.

The James executive director Megan Ward and Tracey Kelly, assistant director, were among those on hand to greet Winnie Lou when she arrived in mid-afternoon to await the results.

“I have a lot of fun doing this,” Winnie Lou said a few days ago as she worked on her plans for her wildflower entry. “It always gets me doing some research and I do enjoy reading.”

Two years ago in 2016, she took second place in the James Library’s biennial event, which ran Saturday April 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This year, her entry was inspired by her readings of Shakespeare, as she has been taking a class in Shakespeare at the Duxbury Senior Center.

She focused on the flowers of Shakespeare especially in the plays The Winter’s Tale and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“My arrangement will have the most beautiful moss for the base,” she said.

“It won’t be flamboyant but I am enjoying doing it.” She credits her friends with supporting her passion for creativity with wildflowers. She is getting the flowers from nurseries, friends, “here and there.”

The James Library holds the biennial benefit event, one-day-only, to allow people to showcase beloved books. Some 30 South Shore residents—school-aged to seniors— will enter original complementing floral arrangements. The youngest this year was four years old.

Visitors are encouraged to purchase votes for $1 for their favorite display in support of the Library’s annual appeal, which helps maintain the building and funds music, art, and literary programming.

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